If you’ve been struggling with frequent headaches, you might be wondering, “Headaches: a dental issue?” According to trusted dentists in Denver, CO, oral health problems can actually cause head pain. In fact, your jaw, teeth, and bite alignment can all play a major role in how often and how severely you experience headaches.
Do you get frequent headaches? At Metropolitan Dental Care, we help patients uncover the dental sources behind recurring head pain. Contact our team in Denver, CO, at (303) 534-2626 to get to the bottom of your pain and find long-lasting relief now!
Understanding the Connection Between Teeth and Headaches
When patients ask, “Headaches: a dental issue?” one of the first things dentists look at is the jaw joint, also known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This joint keeps your jaw fastened to the sides of your skull. When it’s stressed or malpositioned, it can cause pain that radiates to your head, neck, and even your shoulders.
Conditions like teeth grinding (bruxism), overactive jaws, or uneven bite alignment can all contribute to muscle tension and chronic headaches.
TMJ Disorders and Chronic Head Pain
If you frequently wake up with a sore jaw or headaches, you might be experiencing TMJ disorder (TMD). Asking “Headaches: a dental issue?” often leads to discovering that jaw misalignment or stress-related grinding is the culprit.
Recent data suggests that around 60% of people with TMD experience frequent headaches. TMJ disorders can trigger pain near the temples, behind the eyes, or around the ears. Over time, this constant tension can make your headaches worse and more frequent.
Thankfully, your dentists in Denver, CO, can evaluate your jaw movement, bite pattern, and muscle tension to identify the root cause and recommend customized treatment.
Teeth Grinding and Clenching: Hidden Causes of Headaches
If you’re still wondering, “Headaches: a dental issue?” you should know that nighttime teeth grinding can create significant pressure on your teeth and jaw joints. That pressure can radiate upward, leading to morning headaches or facial soreness.
Because grinding often happens during sleep, many people don’t realize it’s occurring until a dentist points out signs of enamel wear or tight jaw muscles. A custom nightguard from Metropolitan Dental Care can relieve this pressure, protect your teeth, and reduce headaches caused by grinding.
Sinus Pressure or Dental Pain?
Sometimes, people asking “Headaches: a dental issue?” are actually dealing with sinus-related discomfort that feels like dental pain. In some cases, though, an infected or abscessed tooth in the upper jaw can irritate nearby sinus cavities, mimicking sinus headaches.
The difference can be hard to detect on your own, which is why scheduling an exam with your dentists in Denver, CO, is so important. We can use X-rays and a thorough evaluation to pinpoint the true cause of your discomfort.
When to See a Dentist for Headache Relief
If you’ve been treating headaches with over-the-counter pain medication but nothing helps, it’s worth asking yourself again: “Headaches: a dental issue?” Visiting a dentist allows for a full evaluation of your bite, jaw function, and oral health.
Once our Denver dentists identify the underlying cause, we can create a personalized treatment plan to relieve your discomfort and improve your quality of life.
Headaches: A Dental Issue? Find Out at Metropolitan Dental Care
If you’re still wondering, “Headaches: a dental issue?” the best next step is to schedule an appointment with trusted dentists in Denver, CO. Click here to schedule professional care at Metropolitan Dental Care, or call us at (303) 534-2626 to get to the bottom of frequent headaches today.
